Massive explosions devastate Beirut, killing scores and injuring thousands

Authored by arabnews.com and submitted by Psydonkity

BEIRUT: At least 73 people were killed and thousands were injured on Tuesday when a massive explosion ripped through the port area of Beirut.

Windows shattered throughout the Lebanese capital and balconies were blown off apartment buildings as a giant plume of smoke soared into the air in nightmare scenes that witnesses said reminded of them of a nuclear bomb blast.

“What happened is like the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions. Nothing remains,” Beirut governor Marwan Abboud said after inspecting the the scene of the explosion.

The city’s hospitals were overwhelmed with injured victims, and the death toll was expected to rise overnight as the full scale of the disaster became apparent.

It began at about 6 p.m. with a fire at a warehouse in the port, a few small explosions as if from firecrackers, and then one giant blast that sent shockwaves throughout the city and was heard as far away as Cyprus in the Mediterranean.

#WATCH: Videos circulating on social media show fire sending smoke billowing into the air before massive #Beirut explosion #Lebanonhttps://t.co/JOMOI4AVaW pic.twitter.com/9H9ciEH8jm — Arab News (@arabnews) August 4, 2020

A plume of white smoke turned pink, and then red, and fires burned for hours.

Among the worst-hit buildings was the HQ of the state power company, EDL, immediately opposite the port. Dozens of staff were injured, including the company’s general manager Kamal Hayek.

The blast happened during a meeting of the Lebanese Phalange Party in Al-Qusifi, near the port, and Kataeb Party secretary general Nizar Najarian was killed.

Shocked residents poured into the streets from their homes, with many hurt by flying glass and broken doors and furniture. Some walked to the nearest pharmacy, while the more seriously injured were ferried to hospital by car and motorcycle.

Soldiers tried to clear the streets of dazed civilians, some of them drenched from head to toe in their own blood. Volunteers led survivors away to seek medical help, using their shirts as bandages.

Makrouhie Yerganian, a retired teacher who has lived near the port for decades, said it was “like an atomic bomb.”

“I’ve experienced everything, but nothing like this before," even during the 1975-1990 civil war, she said. “All the buildings around here have collapsed. I’m walking through glass and debris everywhere, in the dark.”

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim said. “It appears that there is a warehouse containing material that was confiscated years ago, and it appears that it was highly explosive.” Experts said the plume of red smoke suggested the material was probably ammonium nitrate, a common agricultural fertiliser.

Lebanese firefighters work at the scene of an explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020. (AFP)

Messages of support and offers of help poured into Lebanon after the blast. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom expressed “its deepest condolences to the victims of the Beirut explosion.”

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared Wednesday a day of mourning, and said those responsible for the explosion would pay the price. “I promise you that this catastrophe will not pass without accountability,” he said.

Fsahly on August 4th, 2020 at 18:15 UTC »

Lebanese here. Last report: the explosion in the port of beirut. There was a lot of nitrate ammunium and chemicals in one of the biggest buildings of the port. The chemicals were there for years found in an abandoned ship in the sea next to the port. 6months ago the government checked it again, experts said they should get rid of it as soon as possible, they reported that many people will die and beirut city will be destroyed if not taken care of. The government didn't listen, this is the result.

Edit : the air is poisonous, people are asked to stay home and close windows and wash themselves if they were outside. Problem is most of the windows in building are destroyed. You need to know that the port is located at the exact opposit of the airport, which is around 15min drive. And the airport got damaged. So everything in between got hit in some way

Latest update : 7km diameter of direct damage. Buildings windows in that zone shattered in an instant. Hospitals full and no electricity, doctors are doing operations in the streets, people are fighting for survival. Port completely destroyed. FYI, lebanon does alot of import, specially now with economy crisis and medical shortage. We were expecting food and medical supplies by port this week. That won't be happening

Latest update : firemen still working but almost there. Hospitals full but manageable. Ambulances everywhere, the city sounds crying.. Tomorrow we will realise how much we lost and really see what happened Number of death and injuries aren't officially done, they say 63 deaths and more than 3000 injured

Thank you everyone for you comments and support! It's wonderful to see strangers being kind and generous. Gives hope in this crazy world and that's what makes us special!

Much love from Lebanon and if you want help you can donate at the Lebanese Red Cross app. They have their own app

Edit : sorry for weird english

SuicidalSpartan514 on August 4th, 2020 at 16:31 UTC »

https://twitter.com/michaeleast1983/status/1290680745049063424?s=21

Video insanely close to the explosion.

Proino on August 4th, 2020 at 16:07 UTC »

I am currently in Cyprus and we heard and felt the explosion like it was next door. The windows of the houses here shook like crazy.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like there. Praying for everyone's safety.